Race 2 Win: NEXTEL Cup Series Race Notes

Nextel Cup Series

WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER NOTES FOR THE SHARPIE 500 NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES RACE AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY, AUGUST 25, 2007.

Kasey Kahne led three times for 305 laps to earn WIX Filters Lap Leader of the Race honors in tonight’s Sharpie 500. Kahne captured the award for the first time this season. He has led 366 laps in five races this season and led for the first time since Dover (race No. 13). Kahne is the 10th different driver to claim the award this season.

Kahne finished second in tonight’s race, 1.405 seconds behind race winner Carl Edwards.

Kahne won the pole for tonight’s race, his second pole of the 2007 season.

Jeff Gordon leads Tony Stewart by one race (6-5) in the overall WIX Filters Lap Leader standings.

KAHNE QUOTES: “Just started good. Track position was key. We qualified perfect yesterday and had track position all night long. Just run up front. The lapped traffic worked good for us I was able to get around a lot of it fairly quickly. Some of the cars hold you up and other ones you can get by quick and just battled. I think the first 300 laps or 250 laps we were probably the best car. After that I think Carl came on strong there at the end and I just couldn’t get back to him. He was a touch better through the center of the corner and he could get back to the throttle quicker and down the straightaway. It was close. He was just a touch better there at the end. But it was fun. It was exciting to get a good run in our Dodge Avenger. It’s been a while since we had a top-five, last year; it’s been a while since we’ve run up front all night long and had a pole. We kind of put the whole night together. The whole team stepped up. George Gillette was here and it was nice to have our new owner here and Ray and everybody just stepped up and did a great job.”

WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD STANDINGS
Jeff Gordon 6
Tony Stewart 5 
Jimmie Johnson 3
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3
Denny Hamlin 2 
Matt Kenseth 1 
Martin Truex Jr. 1
Robby Gordon 1
Clint Bowyer 1
Kasey Kahne 1

WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD WINNERS BY RACE
EVENT DRIVER
Daytona 500 Tony Stewart (35 laps) 
Auto Club 500 Matt Kenseth (133 laps)
UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 Jeff Gordon (111 laps)
Kobalt Tools 500 Jimmie Johnson (135 laps)
Food City 500 Tony Stewart (257 laps)
Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (137 laps)
Samsung 500 Jeff Gordon (173 laps)
Subway Fresh Fit 500 Tony Stewart (132 laps)
Aaron’s 499 Jeff Gordon (71 laps) 
Crown Royal 400 Jeff Gordon (114 laps)
Dodge Avenger 500 Denny Hamlin (179 laps)
Coca-Cola 600 Jimmie Johnson (83 laps)
Autism Speaks 400 presented by Visa Martin Truex Jr. (216 laps)
Pocono 500 Denny Hamlin (49 laps) 
Citizens Bank 400 Jimmie Johnson (56 laps)
Toyota/Save Mart 350 Robby Gordon (48 laps)
LENOX Industrial Tools 300 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (64 laps)
Pepsi 400 Clint Bowyer (55 laps)
USG SHEETROCK 400 Tony Stewart (108 laps)
Allstate 400 at The Brickyard Tony Stewart (65 laps)
Pennsylvania 500 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (eight laps)
Centurion Boats at The Glen Jeff Gordon (51 laps)
3M Performance 400 Jeff Gordon (25 laps)
Sharpie 500 Kasey Kahne (305 laps)